Thawing
by Istoria
Summary: To some, the past hangs on them like a lead weight. To others it is a distant memory. Seta Soujirou's path to find peace from his past has led him to Sapporo and into the path of an unlikely ally, Saitou Hajime. (Complete 12/17)
1. Chapter 1 : Paths cross, plans are laid

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Author's note : Hello again all! Well, this one is going to be different, if you've ever read anything by me. First of all, Kaoru is one of the stars… in fact she's not even going to be in the fic. There are two people from the RK universe in this ficcie…

Soujirou and Saitou.

This is in response to the fanfic challenge on TFME, http://ellone-loire.net/tfme/, where you have to explore a relationship that is usually done in fan fiction. I figure this one hasn't been don't that much. Those of you wondering, no, it's not going to be yaoi or shonen ai. Just didn't fit the way I wanted this story to go. 

By the way… if you are at all curious, this is actually based on real history. The secret society and its leaders that will be revealed existed. I just took liberties with history and warped it around the story. I'd give you my source but… well, I don't want to ruin the surprise or anything.

So without further ado…

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Thawing

Chapter 1 : Paths cross, plans are laid

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His feet left small prints in the snow as he trudged up the incline. Though hardly dressed from the blazing winter around him, the young man never shivered as he made his way down the path. Three months of walking through the forest of Hokkaido had once again led to a dead end. And with the heart of winter fast approaching, even he knew that it was time to head for shelter.

Of course, the life of a rurouni had left him without any money or any place to stay but he would manage. He always managed. In the three years since he left Kyoto to start walking, he had always found a way, just never an answer to the questions he sought.

Seta Soujirou shifted the bag over his shoulder and let out a small sigh, watching as it crystallized in the air. He reached out for a moment to try to catch it but it evaporated quickly, the cold air sucking the last of the heat away.

"Ohayo gozaimasu."

Soujirou paused and turned around, facing the person who had called him with a smile. "Ohayo gozaimasu," he returned, walking as the small cart came to a stop.

"Are you headed for Sapporo?" the man asked, slowly loosening the reigns in his hands. 

Soujirou looked down the road. Sapporo. The city was still new, they would need builders and despite his diminutive size, he knew he could outwork anyone they had.

"Sapporo," Soujirou repeated, "is a good place to be headed, ne?" 

The man chuckled. "When winter is this fast approaching it most certainly is. Please, you can join the rest of my family in the back. It will save you time."

"I'd hate to trouble you."

"It's no trouble at all," a woman called, suddenly appearing from the back of the cart. "There's more than enough room here."

Soujirou paused for a moment longer before finally relenting. Truth be told, his feet were starting to go numb and the chance to rest them seemed all too tempting. He walked around to the back and clambered inside. He removed the sword from his side and settled into the corner.

There were three children along with the mother. The oldest was a boy though he could have been more then seven or six. A little girl clung to his shirt with one hand and suck on her thumb with the other. The baby in the mother's arms yawned before turning to go back to sleep.

"I'm Hayami. This is Ichiro, Koharu and Toniko," she said motioning to the children in descending order.

"Seta Soujirou," he said with a deep smile as the cart started to move.

Ichiro moved away from his mother's side, Koharu dragged along with him as the boy walked over to Soujirou. Soujirou remained smiling as the child examined him from head to toe.

"Are you a samurai?" the little boy asked.

"Ichiro!" Hayami called. "Don't be impolite. Besides there are no more samurais. You know that."

"But dad said…"

"Dad likes to tell stories. Now leave the poor man alone and come here."

"No, I don't mind," Soujirou said. "It's no bother at all."

"See!" Ichiro said turning away from his mother. "But you have a sword. Are you a ronin?"

Soujirou looked down at the sword by his side. "Something like that."

"Did you lose your master?"

"Ichiro!" Hayami called out.

"'Cause dad says ronin lose their masters and have to wander the world to make up for it."

"Ichiro, if you do not stop pestering Seta-san, then you won't have dinner tonight."

The boy paused and quickly calculated the price of continuing and decided food was better than hearing the strange man's story. He walked away but Koharu stayed in place, looking at Soujirou, who just remained smiling.

The little girl giggled and ran back to her family, occasionally casting a glimpse over at him. Hayami sighed and pulled the blanket around the two children, letting the baby hold onto her chest. As soon as they were tucked away, she started to sing softly, lulling them into sleep.

Soujirou watched the scene but the smile was slowly fading from his lips as he saw the happy family scene play out. There was a deep ache in his chest and the troubled youth found himself remembering his own childhood. 

Jealousy? That was something he hadn't felt in a while. But then, he hadn't felt anything until that day. The day he had lost his master and become ronin.

***

Sapporo unfolded in front of him, a bustle of activity as builders scrambled to finish buildings in the face of the impending winter. A cloud of smoke appeared around his head and he moved away, letting the wisps of gray slowly disintegrate into the air. The cigarette arched in the air and fell to the ground, where it was quickly quashed by his foot. The young officer next to him quickly fell into step behind his superior, waiting for him to request something.

Saitou Hajime pulled his navy blue jacket off the hook by the door and brought it across his body, straightening it as soon as he had finished with the last button. He opened the door and stepped outside, letting the snow crunch at his feet.

"Then all is quiet to the north," he said gruffly.

His assistant quickly finished button his jacket, trying to ward off the cold. "Hai," he said. "All the Ainu have settled in for the winter. There should be no more problems with them."

Saitou nodded firmly and pulled a new cigarette from his pocket. "And there are no problems in Sapporo itself."

"No, sir," the officer replied. "Everything is quiet. It always is during the winter." He paused for a moment. "Will you be returning to Tokyo?"

Saitou looked over at the man, reading the implications in his voice. It was true, he should return to Tokyo. His wife was pregnant again and the two sons she had had been nothing but trouble since their father left.

"Perhaps," Saitou settled on, walking down the streets. He watched as a small cart pulled past him. For moment, a feeling of déjà vu hit him but before he could act, the cart was gone.

"Hiraoka Kotaro has requested an audience with you," the officer was saying. "He wanted to speak with you about mining operations in the north."

Saitou nodded with little interest. A wealthy man who had turned his eye to mining once the samurai class was abolished, Hiraoka had always rubbed Saitou the wrong way. There was something behind all the pleasantries that man dished to the people around him. Saitou didn't like dealing with him, let alone agreeing to help him with anything.

"I think that an inspection of the men here," the officer was saying, "would be a good idea. They've been working very hard to meet your standards and it will assuage your fears of returning to Tokyo if you know…"

The officer trailed off as he caught the dangerous glint in the gold eyes of his boss. "Not that you are afraid of anything," the younger man stumbled, trying to dig himself out of the hole he was in.

"Fujita-san!" 

The younger officer breathed a small sigh of relief as one of the policemen ran up to them. 

"Some of the workers just found a body when they were digging for the canal," the man said. 

Saitou let the cigarette fall from his hands as he followed the other man. It fell onto the snow and heated some of it to water which in return, extinguished the flame.

***

"Sayonara!" Hayami called as the cart pulled away. The children waved as Soujirou smiled at them as they passed. He waved back at them and continued on his way, walking down the snow filled streets of Sapporo. The smell of fresh wood filled his nose as he walked past some of the worker. First things first then, he needed to secure himself a job. 

But after several attempts, Soujirou realized it was not going to be as easy as he thought. Construction was winding down now that winter had reared its face. There wouldn't be any new work until after the spring thaw.

"You should try the canal," one of them had suggested. "They're still looking for people but it'll only be for a few weeks. After that the ground will be too hard to dig."

"Thank you," Soujirou replied. "If I could ask one more thing, is there someplace to stay that would not be too expensive?"

"Most of the temples are full as it is. A couple of the bordellos may take people in since it's the off season and they'll need the money."

So Soujirou had thanked the man and continued towards where they were digging the canal. But when he arrived there, it was obvious that all work had stopped. Men in uniforms were running around, pushing the crowd back. Too short to see over them, Soujirou silently wove his way through the crowd until he got to the front.

From there he could see where the police were congregating. In between the mounds of brown dirt, a white streak lay across a freshly dug earth. From this distance, Soujirou could make out five separate parts and realized it was a human hand.

Luck was not with him today, it appeared and Soujirou attempted to pull away from the crowd but suddenly found himself riveted in place. The tall man turned away from the body and looked into the crowd, golden eyes locking on Soujirou's face.

Soujirou silently pushed his way out of the front, a small frown dotting his face. Saitou. In Hokkaido. Soujirou had never been prosecuted for his crimes against the Meiji Government mainly because no one knew about them.

But that man knew. 

Soujirou's feet came to a stop. He felt the unfamiliar pull on his face and realized he wasn't smiling anymore. Three years and it still felt strange not to have it there, as if his muscles had grown into that pattern.

He relaxed and let the frown slowly fade. With his calm restored, Soujirou continued on his way, coming in front of a building called "Hall of Celestial Delights". He paused, remember what the man had said about lodging and decided that this was a good place to start.

He tapped the door softly and waited, hearing the shuffling from inside. The door was flung open suddenly and an overweight woman looked down at him with disdain.

"We're closed, come back later," she said, turning to close the door.

"Please, just a moment of your time," he said politely, smiling deeply. "I heard that some places were offering lodging."

The woman paused and looked at him. "Do you have money?"

"Some," Soujirou said, slightly stretching the truth.

She looked him up and down, resting her eyes on his sword. "Are you a soldier?"

Soujirou shook his head. "No, not at all."

"Ronin?"

Soujirou sighed. It seemed like that was what people generally thought he was. "Yes," he said, deciding not to argue the point.

The woman looked up and down the street and ushered him inside. "I think we may have a place for you," she said sliding the door shut behind him.

***

Saitou leaned down, looking at the once beautiful face that was half eaten away. The assistant who had been next to him had stumbled off, turning green at the sight. Saitou carefully looked at the body, taking in all of it as he pulled a drag off his cigarette.

"She was found only a few hours ago by several construction workers."

Saitou nodded and continued his investigation. Kneeling in close he looked at the black bruises around her neck. "Strangled," he said. Looking down he watched the naked curves of her body slowly disappear into the mud. 

"Has anyone reported a missing woman?" Saitou asked.

"No, Fujita-san," the policeman said. "But then, most of the woman here are… well…"

"Whores," Saitou finished for him. He paused and picked up a shovel that had been tossed next to the body. Slowly, he wedged it under the woman's body and used the leverage to lift it slightly.

There was a small mark on the nap of her neck and he motioned to the man next to him to hold the shovel in place. Kneeling down he looked at the two kanji there. "Celestial maiden," he said.

The man holding the shovel laughed. "Well, that's inappropriate for a woman like her."

Saitou stood up and looked over into the crowd. "Perhaps not. Wasn't there a bordello here with the name…"

He trailed off, seeing someone in the crowd that was oddly familiar but… no it couldn't be. What would he be doing here?

"Sir?" 

Saitou looked down at the man and nodded, letting him drop the body back onto the ground. By the time Saitou looked back into the crowd. The familiar face was gone.

"What were you saying?" Saitou asked, turning his attention back to the investigation.

"I said, the Hall of Celestial Delights," the officer repeated. "That might be a good place to start looking."

Saitou nodded and motioned to the small crew waiting to retrieve the body. He walked out of the pit, his mind replaying the scene in the crowd. It was impossible but for a moment, he thought that Okita had been there, watching the investigation.

But no, Okita was dead. Saitou had buried him himself after the disease had finally killed him off. 

"Fujita-san," his young assistant said rejoining him. "Are you all right?"

Saitou looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean? I was not the one to turn green and run away."

The assistant blushed slightly and shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry about that. It was just the smell. But… I thought that you… just for a moment, looked upset about…"

The assistant trailed off feeling the glare of gold on him again. Two times in one day, he thought unhappily. There was no way he was getting home on time tonight. Fujita-san would book him for three straight shifts at this point.

But much to his surprise, his superior turned away. "Let's return to the station. I want to hear as much about this Hall of Delights as you know."

"I take it you will not be leaving for Tokyo anytime soon then," his assistant said. Saitou continued onward and the young man sighed. Why did he have a distinct feeling that his captain was always trying to stay away from his family?

***

Soujirou settled into the small seat at the edge of table, wrapping his legs around until he was comfortable. A young girl walked in and left a cup of tea on the table.

"Arigato gozaimasu," he said but she was gone before he even finished the sentence. He shifted slightly, suddenly realizing that the situation was getting rather uncomfortable. He had been let in and ushered to the back, no more mention of lodging had been made.

He let his hand slowly move towards the end of the table and nearer to the hilt of his sword, just in case. He heard footsteps in the hall and let his hand fall off the edge of the table as the shoji door swung open.

A man walked in and looked at him, taking a seat across from him. Soujirou's face never moved, still maintaining the smile while his mind quickly calculated a dozen moves he might have to counter in the next few minutes.

"You are ronin," the man stated, not asking a question at all. "Who was your master?"

Soujirou's smile remained in place as he took his tea, bringing to his lips in a sign that he was not going to answer that question.

"I heard a story once," the man said, "of a young boy whose skills marveled the best swordsmen in Japan. But when his master was defeated, he was forced to wander Japan. So I wondered, are you the same boy in that story?"

Soujirou put the cup down. "No I'm not," he said. He wasn't lying. His story was very different. Shishio hadn't been defeated until after he left. His decision to wander was not based on the fact that he had failed his master, rather than his master had failed him.

The man across the table looked at him. "But you have the same smile… so maybe it is just the story that was wrong."

Soujirou would have frowned but once a day was enough for him. Instead, he picked up the tea again and took another sip.

"Well, if you are not the same man, it would be a shame," the man said. "I was looking for strong men to help me in my…"

"I am not interested," Soujirou said politely. "I am just a simple wanderer, I would have no place in your fight no matter what it was."

The man paused. "You don't strike me as the type to wander aimlessly," he said. "Perhaps I read you wrong. But I thought you had the look of a man who needed something to believe in."

Soujirou paused, ignoring the truth of the man's words and waited for the pitch. He mused about what it might be this time. Kill the foreigners? Restore the Shogunate?

"We strive for three things," the man was saying. "To honor the Imperial Family, to respect the Empire and to guard the rights of the people. What more could one want?"

Soujirou put the cup down. "It sounds like a noble cause," he said politely, "but as I said, I am just no looking for a cause. Thank the mistress of the house for the tea."

The man nodded. "Take some time to think about it. Return here if you change your mind."

With a small smile, Soujirou walked out of the door.

***

"The Hall of Celestial Delights has been here almost since Sapporo was founded. It's one of the oldest bordellos in the area and I don't think it's the only one in Japan or the world for that matter. There are rumors about the place, that is home to a himitsu kessha."

"A secret society," Saitou repeated, tipping the cigarette on the edge of the tray. "These groups have been sprouting up since the beginning of the Meiji Restoration. Why not just eradicate the bordello, end it here?"

His assistant frowned slightly. "We tried… but the governor stopped us."

Saitou raised an eyebrow. "So, the governor has been bought off."

His assistant tilted his head from side to side. "Perhaps… but I think it goes much further than that. There's one man we think is involved, you probably know him, actually. The hermit, Toyama Mitsuru, he's usually at the brothel and is said to be recruiting ronin."

Saitou paused for a moment, letting the name register to a face. "What agents do you have within the organization then?"

"That's the problem. It's by invitation alone and any one we have tried to bribe ends up betraying us or dead."

"Then you haven't found the right man," Saitou said, standing up. His assistant jumped up to follow but Saitou waved him off. He needed a walk alone.

Leaving the cigarettes behind, Saitou started down the street, watching the people around him move. He passed by a few street vendors, noting that most of them lowered their voices when he passed. 

It was Kyoto all over again, only this time there was no Shinsengumi around him. They were all dead, the captains at least. He frowned slightly, too much thinking of the past. That stranger who looked like Okita had started it all.

And then as if fate itself stepped in, Saitou looked up and saw the same person walking towards him. He stopped in his tracks and watched the ghost from his past walking towards him.

The other man stopped, riveted in place and suddenly Saitou got a good look at him. No, it wasn't Okita at all. But someone else that he knew.

Soujirou paused and realized there was no way to get out of it now. With a sigh, he walked up to Saitou waiting for him to act but the other man was looking over his shoulder now. Saitou started to walk but moved right past Soujirou.

Soujirou blinked but continued walking. Things had gone from dangerous to much worse. He highly doubted that Saitou had forgotten him. Was the Wolf letting his prey escape so he could hunt him later?

Saitou kept walking, barely looking up as he passed by Toyoma. His mind was working around the possibilities. Planning, plotting until a grin started to spread across his face. The Wolf had just caught his prey.


	2. Chapter 2 : Introductions and Assignment...

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Author's note: Thanks to all the reviews ^_^ I was a bit stuck for a while but after some research, I got a very clear idea of where this story is going to go. Now I just have to get from point A to point B by filling in the stuff in between!

I'm trying to be historically accurate but I have to work with real history and Kenshin history so you know… it ain't gonna be perfect. Still I hope you continue to enjoy it!

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Thawing

Chapter 2 : Introductions and Assignments

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It only took an hour before the police came. Soujirou was hardly surprised. But at least had given him the chance to plan what to do. He wasn't ready to be put in prison just yet but he was not about kill policemen. Atoning for his sins was mostly definitely not conducive with killing people who were just doing their jobs.

He sat on his knees in the restaurant and watched from the corner of his eye as the waitress pointed over to his table. The policemen caught his eye and Soujirou smiled, gripping the hilt of his sword and giving them a small nod.

The head officer paused, taken off guard by the motion. But before he could make a decision about what to do, Soujirou stood up and took off, heading towards the kitchen. The police called out a warning but he never paused, sliding by cooks and waiters in the back like a fish among the kelp trees.

He stepped outside and the cold hit him hard. But he barely paused as he began his run down the road. He could hear the policemen behind him and the small crowd of people in front of him parted to let him pass. 

He let them chase him for a while before he finally reached the half-dug canal. It was the only open spot he knew of in Sapporo. His feet came to a stop in the mud and he turned, watching the police officer come up to him. Reaching down, he picked up a hoe and tested the weight in his hand. 

"Seta Soujirou, you are under arrest," the head officer stated.

"For what?" Soujirou smiled. "I've been in the town less than a day."

But they didn't seem too concerned with providing him facts. In a fluid motion, they drew their swords. Soujirou began to tap his foot softly into the mud. These were men who were under Saitou's leadership. He shouldn't take them lightly.

It surprised him, however, that the officers were not ready for the speed at which Soujirou attacked and countered. Hadn't Saitou warned them about his fighting style? And why only send five against him? Was Saitou trying to insult him or was there more to this than met the eye?

The first attacked with a lounge and Soujirou easily parried it, spinning quickly and hitting the man squarely on the back of the head with the wood handle. Two more came at once and it was a simple matter of quickly block the right upper strike and the left lower strike simultaneously. And then quickly, he turned on his foot, bringing the wooden hoe around his body and striking the man on the right in his stomach and the man on the left on the forehead.

One more strike came at his side and Soujirou caught the blade with the hoe, pushing it away and using his knee to hit the man in the stomach. The final attack came from behind, but Soujirou ducked quickly and threw a back kick, connecting with the man's midsection.

Soujirou stood up. His feet were covered in mud from the canal trench. But his hands… his hands were clean. There was no blood on them.

It had taken all of ten seconds to defeat the small police force and Soujirou was barely out of breath. He planted to the metal part of the hoe into the ground, leaning against the handle. Looking around, he waited, knowing it was far from over.

"Should I be insulted that there were only five men, Saitou Hajime-san?" Soujirou called out, hoping to draw out his foe.

From a darkened corner, a small orange circle suddenly appeared. Soujirou smiled and let the hoe drop. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. Innocent policemen were not something he wanted to kill. But he knew Saitou Hajime would never be defeated with a farmer's tool.

The orange circle suddenly moved, arcing up into the sky before landing in the snow. Saitou stepped out, eyeing Soujirou with cold golden eyes as he came up to the edge of the embankment.

"We need to talk," Saitou said. And then without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Soujirou's hand slowly relaxed on hilt of his sword and his smile faltered. This was not about being arrested, he suddenly realized. It was a show. But for what reason, he didn't know. The only way he would, would be to follow Saitou now.

Saitou's footprints eventually led Soujirou to a small noodle bar on the outskirts of town. From the way the chef looked at Soujirou when he stepped inside, it was obvious that the restaurant was just a cover for police work. 

Saitou had already sat down at a table, a steaming broth of plain soba in front of him. With soft steps, Soujirou walked up and took a seat across from him. He paused, watching as Saitou worked the chopsticks in his hand before they snapped forward. Like the talons of a hawk, the two sticks clamped down on the noodles and slowly brought it up to his mouth.

Soujirou's smile never faltered but the situation was growing more uncomfortable. And the silence stretched on for what felt like hours.

"Five men was enough for people to believe you were truly being arrested," Saitou said finally. "But not enough so that you would have to resort to your real sword."

"Ah, I see," Soujirou said. "So the encounter was merely a cover for this meeting."

Saitou nodded slightly. "There is a plague in this town, a himitsu kessha. They are recruiting fighters for their cause but it is by invitation only." He paused, taking another mouthful of soba and slowly grinding it down.

"The police are attempting to investigate them," Saitou continued, "however it is very hard to get an agent into their ranks. The only way would be to find someone who was invited who would be willing to work for us."

"Willing," Soujirou said, "or blackmailed into doing it."

Saitou's face slowly arced into a smile. "It would be most unfortunate if people here learned your true identity."

Soujirou sighed. "Then what can I do to…"

***

__

"…help."

Saitou blinked and looked up from his soba. The young man in front of him was smiling despite the sobering news he had just given. The high ponytail swishing slightly as he turned his head and looked at Saitou.

"We were hoping that you could help," he repeated. "It is true we have been deceived many time since we arrived in Kyoto, that our organization has had some… unfortunate incidents but that will all change now. The Aizu han has sponsored your admission into our ranks and no one would question your skills, Yamaguchi Jirou."

Saitou nodded slowly. It was not his real name but then names were not something he could hold on to. Not when he was hunted by assassins of his foes. Not when he had spent so much time attempting to erase any traces of his real past.

"I know they would not," Saitou responded. "It would be the last mistake they made."

The man smiled and nodded. "I knew they were right to ask you. However, once you agree, you can not step back. It is not allowed to leave the Shinsengumi."

Saitou paused for a moment longer, to give the illusion that he was thinking about it before nodding again.

"Excellent," the man said happily. "I will take you to the Vice Captain immediately." He stood up dropping a few coins on the table.

Saitou didn't move. The young man looked down at him, perplexed. "What is your name?" Saitou asked.

The young man nodded. "I suppose now that you have agreed to join us, there is no point in hiding things, ne? I am Okita Souji, one of Kondou-san's students."

Saitou nodded and stood up.

"And you," Okita said, "what is your name?"

Saitou paused, thrown off guard by the question. "Yamaguchi Jirou," he replied slowly.

"No, not that one," Okita smiled. "What is your real name?"

***

"Saitou Hajime-san?"

Saitou blinked, watching the scene in his mind fade away. The winter air suddenly gripped his bone and brought him back to reality. Not Kyoto… this was Sapporo and that was…

"Join their ranks," Saitou said firmly. "Find out how they are organized. I just want information about them."

"All right," Soujirou said with a small nod. It wasn't as if he had much choice in the matter.

"In two weeks we will meet back here," Saitou said. "That will be enough time to get an idea of how they work."

"Hai," Soujirou said, watching the policeman stand up.

Saitou paused, casting a glance at Soujirou before narrowing his eyes and moving out the door.

Soujirou took in a deep breath, letting it out so that it danced with the steam from his soup. It was bad but... it could have been worse. Besides, there were at least five months of harsh winter to endure here. He couldn't really travel anymore until the spring thaw came.

He finished his soup just as the snow began to fall outside. With a small wave to the owner, Soujirou slowly walked towards the Hall of Celestial Delights.

***

"The girl was claimed this morning."

Saitou looked up from his desk at his assistant. "Really? Who?"

"A family of farmers. They said she was the wife's sister."

"Do you ask them to stay for questioning?"

The assistant paused. "It was not possible. They had schedule a service at the temple and…"

"Where are they now?" Saitou asked.

The assistant was silent. "We… we don't know."

Saitou looked up, his golden eyes narrowing at the other man. "Find them," he said simply. "Find them and bring them here."

The assistant nodded and walked out of the room quickly. Saitou smashed the cigarette in the ashtray, taking little joy in watching its light flicker out of existence. The dead girl was their only clue and because of the softness of his officers, the only path that led from her was closed.

He stood up, lacing his hand behind his back and looked at the window as the snow began to fall. He would find them, somehow. And he would put an end to their organization.

***

"You will stay here," the brothel mother said, pointing into the empty room. Storage closet was more the word for it but at least it had been emptied of its supplies. Soujirou sighed as he let his belongings drop on the floor.

Getting in to the brothel again was easy. The man who had tried to recruit him earlier had allowed it without question but said that they would speak soon.

So Soujirou had made it into the building, but there was no guarantee that he would make it into the group. If for a moment they believed that he was actually working for the police, then his life would be forfeit.

"Leave your weapons here and follow me," the old woman said.

Weaponless, Soujirou followed after the woman towards his judgement. She slid the door open and Soujirou walked into the receiving room, taking a seat on the empty pillow.

The man who he had met before came in after a few minutes and took a seat facing Soujirou, withdrawing his katana and lying it on the floor next to him. Immediately, Soujirou began to look for different ways to counter blows. But the man relaxed and began to speak, the weapon by his hand soon forgotten.

"I am Toyama Mitsuru," the man said firmly. "You are Seta Soujirou, once assistant to Makato Shishio."

Soujirou paused, looking over at man. "You are well informed."

"It is my organizations' main purpose to be well informed," Toyama said. "I take it that your returning here is an indication that you have found yourself in agreement with our beliefs. Or is it because you were almost arrested today in a local restaurant?"

Soujirou paused, waiting for the other axe to fall. Had his meeting with Saitou been observed as well?

"All five were found unconscious in the canal ditch," Toyama continued. "Tell me, how long did it take to defeat them? A minute?"

Soujirou smiled. A minute? Apparently, they had not seen the fight and probably not him speaking with Saitou in the street.

"About," Soujirou said.

"The stories of your skills are true," Toyama said with a smile. "To have you join our ranks… but I get ahead of myself. You have accepted my invitation but it still remains to see if you are worthy of becoming a member of the Genkai Nada."

Soujirou made a note of the name. Black Ocean. It would not be difficult to remember it. "I would expect no less," he replied.

Toyama nodded. "Until then, you will earn your keep here, whether it is through household chores or… through other means," he said, casting a glance down at his katana.

"I understand," Soujirou said.

Toyama nodded and the door slide open. The old woman was there and Soujirou took it as his signal to leave. With a small nod to Toyama, he quickly fell into step behind her. As they rounded the corner, Soujirou could hear the excited laughter of children coming from a room up ahead.

"Ronin!"

Soujirou blinked at the name and then looked more carefully into the room. Yes… it was Ichiro, the little boy he had met on the way to Sapporo.

"Ichiro," Soujirou said and the little boy confirmed his suspicions. "And… Koharu." The little girl blushed. "Where are your parents?"

Ichiro frowned for a moment. "Mom is sleeping. She's real sad 'cause Auntie Keiko died right before we got here."

"Oh, that's too bad," Soujirou said. But the looks on the children's face made him press on. They were too young to really understand what had happened. "And your father?"

"He went with some people to do some work," Ichiro said.

"And you are supposed to be doing your mother's work while he is gone," the old woman cackled. "But you are just useless children and so Seta-san will have to wash all those dishes himself."

Soujirou looked over at the pile of unwashed plates. At his feet, Ichiro was vehemently defending his ability to do work and Koharu was looking at Soujirou shyly. There was a crash as Ichiro resorted to throwing a plate and suddenly Soujirou began to wonder if jail had been that bad a choice.

***

"Are you worried, Seisuke?"

"I was just thinking about Hayami and the children. I should have stayed… Keiko's death was very shocking for them."

"Let the woman cry, that's all they are good for. But we… we will get revenge for your sister-in-law's death."

Seisuke nodded, letting the sword shift in his hand. This was not his choice, not what he wanted to do. He suddenly longed for his hoe and shovel, his little farm in the mountain when it was only him, Hayami and the children.

But winter had forced them away and Keiko's death had forced him to seek revenge. Toyama had told him it was the third rule of Genkai Nada. Defend the rights of people. And Keiko's rights had been taken away from her. 

"There he is. Walking unguarded is a fool's thing to do."

Seisuke paused and looked at where his associate was looking. A tall man in a policeman's uniform walked down the road, the snow clinging to the navy blue suit, a sword hung at his side.

"They think they own this town but we were here first, long before the Meiji government existed. Come on Seisuke."

Seisuke grabbed the other man's arm. "No. This is not a good idea," he said.

"Are you a coward?"

Seisuke shook the insult off. "He's seen us."

"Then we'll kill him anyway. Do you want to dishonor Keiko's memory?"

"No but Keiko asked us here so that we would be safe from the winter. Attacking that man would not only kill me but put the rest of my family in danger. Doing that would dishonor her memory."

"Toyama-san has order us to do this. You can not disobey…"

"Look at the man. Look carefully and see his eyes. There is no fear in those eyes but I know he has seen us. He is not afraid of two armed men lying in wait for him."

The man went to protest but Seisuke stood up and walked away. 

"Toyama-san will here about this," the other man said before quickly falling into step behind Seisuke.

Saitou never stopped his stride but he saw the two men break off. It was almost disappointing. It had been so long since he had been in a real fight. His sword almost cried out for the lack of use. His skills would begin to diminish if not tested from time to time. 

Other things were starting to fade as well. He wasn't as observant as he used to be, his senses were starting to falter. He could remember days when he could smell blood in the air without seeing it.

__

"Yadda na, Saitou-san! Maybe you've been killing too much recently."

Saitou's feet came to a stop and he frowned. Okita had said that. Recently, Okita had been in his mind too much. The past should be forgotten. Saitou Hajime should not exist in this world and neither should his memories.

"Fujita-san!" Saitou turned and watched his assistant run up to meet him. "I thought you would want this as soon as it came in."

Saitou took the letter from the man's hand and the smell of cherry blossoms filled his senses. He didn't need to open it to see whom it was from. Looking down at the seal, he waited a moment later before quickly shoving it into his back pocket.

"Fujita…" his assistant started.

"How is the search for the family of the dead girl going?"

His assistant paused, still frowning but eventually relented. "We are a following a few leads. Something will be found, I am positive of it."

***

"I'm bored!"

Soujirou blinked and looked over at the little boy. Ichiro sat on the floor, his legs folded up in front of him. Soujirou paused, shaking the suds from his hands. 

"You could help…"

"I don't want to," Ichiro said quickly, pre-empting any attempt that Soujirou might have tried in order to recruit him.

Soujirou nodded. "Well… I have to wash these dishes."

"Tell us a story!" Ichiro demanded. "You don't need your mouth to wash dishes."

Soujirou looked at him with a smile and tried to think of a correct response. The boy was impetuous, stubborn and very demanding. It simply wouldn't do to give into his whining.

There was a tug on his leg and Soujirou looked down. Koharu, her hair tied back in pigtails, pulled at his clothes but suddenly stopped when she saw him looking at her.

"Story," she said.

Soujirou sighed, knowing he had just lost the battle. "A story… let's see. All right, once, not to long ago in a large city there was a man who wandering the streets acting like a fool. Most people didn't pay him much notice or they thought he was a simpleton, a bumbling idiot. But perhaps in the end… he was smarter than them all…"


	3. Chapter 3 : Footprints in the Snow

Author's note: Sorry for the delay, things got rough on my end.

Cka3ka - thank you for the compliment. Actually a bit of research went into this. I have numerous websites and some previous Japanese history classes to play upon and at the end of the story, I'll list all of my sources.

To the rest… thank you very much for the reviews. I keep trying new things so its nice to read about what works and what didn't (and what grammar needs to be fixed 'cause ummm… yeah… grammar is well and all).

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Thawing

Chapter 3 : Footprints in the Snow

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The bird's feet left tiny cross-shaped scars in the snow on the window ledge. The stalk of a long dead flower bent under the weight of icicles that had formed on it during the night. Soujirou's eyes fluttered open and he tilted his head towards the sun, the brilliant light of dawn blinding him momentarily. Tiny dust particles floated in the air above him and he couldn't resist the urge to reach up and grab one.

But he found his arms were pinned down to the ground. Puzzled, he looked down, following the outline of his body under the blanket until he got somewhere around his knees and realized the problem. Koharu and Ichiro were curled up at his feet fast asleep. His mind still fuzzy from waking up, it took a moment to recall the events of last night. 

Stories… he had been telling them lots of stories. Stories about swordsmen and dark samurai, princesses and monsters. Stories that were myths but… stories that had some truth all the same.

His throat parched, Soujirou slowly slid from under the covers as to not disturb the two sleeping children and padded out of the room. The moment he did, he instantly regretted not having taken a blanket with him. The bordello was cold and the floor was spearing his feet with what felt like icicles.

Quickly, he moved towards the stairs and went down, feeling things warm up as soon as he feet hit the heated floor. Moving quietly down the hall, he wondered if he was the only one awake. But the sounds from the kitchen were about to prove him wrong.

"Look at that! A man awake before the sun has even finished rising. I never thought I'd see the day." The brothel matron laughed heartily as she picked up another vegetable.

Soujirou smiled sheepishly and walked into the small kitchen, taking a seat at the table. He was contemplating whether to ask for tea or food first when the knife slammed in front of him. He jumped almost falling off his chair and looked up.

"Figures… finally get a man who's not sleeping the day away and all he wants to do is sit around and be waited on. This ain't no fancy restaurant boy. Earn your keep and start cutting!"

A pile of radishes dropped in front of him and Soujirou smiled, quietly taking the knife in his hands and slicing at the radishes. He probably could have finished chopping them in a matter of minutes but the slow rhythmic cuts he was making were nice, almost meditative.

As Soujirou cut, the room began to fill as the brothel woke up. There were girls, lots of girls in various states of disarray and undress. Soujirou made sure he stayed very concentrated on the radishes while they rushed in and out. No sense in inviting bodily harm because of a roaming eye.

But try as he could to slow things down, the radishes were eventually all cut and he was without a job. A quick look from the old woman made him realize that sitting around was not a good idea.

"Let the poor boy eat, old woman," Toyama said, entering the room. "And get me something to drink."

A moment passed between their eyes before the woman walked away. As soon as she did, Soujirou realized that he and Toyama were the only ones left in the kitchen. In fact the entire house had quieted down.

"There will be people visiting here today," Toyama said.

Soujirou smiled and attempted not to shift uncomfortably in his seat. From Toyama's tone, he didn't think these were just normal visitors. 

"They are not the sort that would like to be spotted here so I need people to keep watch around the building. That shouldn't be too hard to do, ne?"

Soujirou smiled. Not at all, he thought. It will also keep me from seeing whoever it is. But I think Saitou Hajime-san would be very interested in who was coming.

***

Saitou watched the last bit of snow fall before dawn broke. The candle at his desk had melted down to a small stub, barely lighting up the papers that were strewn there. Turning on his heel, Saitou walked towards the door and opened it, just in time to almost collide with his assistant.

"Gomen nasai," the young man said stumbling a bit. "I… I was just bringing you something to eat before you left."

Saitou looked down at the tray of tea and soba. He took it and walked back to his desk, pushing some of the paper work aside to make room.

"So you really are going to visit Kotaro-san today?"

"It can't be helped," Saitou said, using the chopsticks to pick up some of the soba.

"But the snow has probably made most of the roads impassable by carriage."

"I planned to walk."

"Walk? In this cold? But I hardly think…"

The assistant trailed off, seeing just the barest line of golden eyes as Saitou glanced up. He sighed. It was a useless fight, he knew that. But it didn't mean that he would stop trying to look out for his captain.

It was strange. When he was first assigned as assistant to the legendary Fujita Goro, he felt as if the Emperor himself had bestowed a personal blessing on him. But something had changed when Fujita left Tokyo and came to Hokkaido. He just couldn't put his foot on it.

"Is there any word on that dead girl's family?"

"Hai," the assistant said, snapping back to attention. "We've spoken with the monk and they said the family is staying in the area. I had a couple of men watch the temple. Hopefully they will stop by again to pay their respects soon."

Saitou nodded and stood up, drinking the last bit of tea as he did. He walked to the door and grabbed his coat, pulling it across his body and closing it shut. He placed his sword on the outside, causing his assistant to frown. Was his superior expecting trouble?

But before he could ask, Saitou had shut the door behind him.

***

Soujirou tapped his feet. It was an unconscious habit from all his training but it also helped to bring back the feeling in his feet. Had he known that keeping watch around the building meant standing outside for three hours, he would have dressed better. 

It almost meant he hadn't gotten even a momentary glance at whoever it was that was visiting the bordello today.

"Ronin."

Soujirou smiled and turned to face the familiar face of Ichiro, the pet name still ringing the air. Any hope of correcting the boy had long since faded and Soujirou was fine with it for now.

"Ichiro and… Koharu," Soujirou said, seeing the extra pair of feet hiding behind Ichiro. "Where's your mother?"

"Sleeping," Ichiro replied.

"Ah… and your father?"

"In a meeting," Ichiro responded.

Soujirou paused. It was as if he thought. Ichiro's father, Seisuke, was not just here to visit his wife's sister. He was connected in all this somehow. In whatever way, it must have been important to warrant being invited to the highly guarded meeting.

Soujirou's mouth twitched slightly as a frown attempted to break through. But instead, he blinked and looked down at the two little children.

"I need to ask a favor of you," Soujirou smiled.

Ichiro raised an eyebrow and looked suspicious. "What?" he finally asked.

"I need you to watch and make sure no one comes too close to the building while I go get a coat, okay?"

"Like a guard?" Ichiro asked, his eyes growing large and happy at the prospect of a real life game.

"Sure," Soujirou replied.

Ichiro snapped to attention and attempted a clumsy salute. Soujirou raised an eyebrow as he attempted the complicated move.

"What was that?" Soujirou asked.

"It's something my dad does when he meets other people," Ichiro said.

Soujirou watched and realized there was something ritualistic about the moves. So he memorized them, hoping it might be helpful later on. Left hand over right in front of the chest, turn the fingers towards you so the palms face you chest with right hand on top, thumbs extended, pull them apart then clap three times. Extend the right hand and keep the left one curled and at your chest.

Soujirou patted him on the head and started back into the house as the children's voices floated in the air.

"Koharu! You can't stand guard too!!"

"Yes I can!"

"No you can't, you're just a dumb girl…"

His footsteps moved quickly across the wooden entranceway, sidestepping the place he knew would creak as he passed. He heard voices ahead of him and quickly ducked into one of the side rooms, watching a few men pass him by.

As soon as they were gone, he made a dash for the stairway but hearing the guard shuffle about there, he knew it was impossible to just walk up there. Moving back slowly, he looked for a door and quietly slid it open, stealing his way onto the porch. He grabbed the eaves that hung overhead and pulled himself up, landing softly on the roof over the balcony. 

Quietly he settled into a place in the shadows and quieted his breathing, listening for conversation. The cold air bit at his face and he wished he really had gone for a jacket first. He forced himself to think warm thoughts, knowing that chattering feet or shivering limbs would draw undo attention to him.

"…fields were almost destroyed by rains this year. But we managed to salvage most of the crop and make a nice profit."

Soujirou frowned. That sounded like Seisuke's voice but how could he be sure after only hearing the man talk…

"That's good news, Seisuke. We'll need the money to cover the new expenses that these gentlemen are inquiring about…'

Well that's convenient, Soujirou thought. But not good news. He had hoped Ichiro's and Koharu's father was not involved in this. The other voice was easy to pinpoint. It was Toyama.

"How many men are you planning to send to China then?" But this… this was not a voice he recognized.

"Not too many. We're merely gathering information on the Triads."

"The chances that you will be discovered are small then."

"Small, yes," Toyama answered. "Non-existent, no."

"The Cabinet Minister is a bit hesitant about this. If something should go wrong, your men would be on their own."

"That is not a surprise."

Soujirou heard some shuffling inside and frowned. No, they couldn't be leaving already! At least not without saying what Ministry the man was from. But the sounds were definitely of men leaving and Soujirou could not waste a minute longer.

He moved quickly back to the children, sliding out of the door just as the men upstairs reached the bottom of the stairs. 

"Your jacket?" Ichiro asked.

Soujirou paused, realizing his mistake. His face constricted in disappointment before he quickly caught himself. "It wasn't in my room," he said quickly.

The door opened and Seisuke stepped outside. Soujirou looked up at the grizzled older man and watched as Ichiro launched himself at him. Seisuke caught him and spun him around once before hurtling down the stairs towards Koharu. The little girl squealed in delight and took off running.

Soujirou watched the scene, remembering when he had first met the family. They seemed perfect together, everything he thought a family should be. So unlike what he had had. Jealousy… yes, he could admit that now. He was jealous.

But as he watched Seisuke throw snow at his children, there was another feeling creeping on him. Worry.

***

The snow crunched under his feet as Saitou moved up the stone steps of the Kotaro compound. A rich man by birth, Kotaro had probably never felt the true force of Hokkaido's winter. He hibernated in the winter and came out in the summer to annoy Saitou once more.

So a social call now, even though winter had only just begun, was enough to perk Saitou's interest. Kotaro was good, a man not easily tripped up by police plants or yakuza bribery. But every man had a weakness, Saitou just had to find Kotaro's.

The compound was more impressive then any building on the island, the guards that stood motionless outside testimony to the riches that lay behind the door. They regarded him with cool detachment as he walked passed them and waited at the door. Their look said one thing. We will kill you if you try anything.

Saitou was all to happy to respond with his trademark 'Go ahead and try' look.

But the door swung open before any more strutting could occur and a young woman looked up at him. 

"Officer Fujita. My husband is expecting you," she said bowing deeply.

Saitou gave her a smaller bow in return and fell into step behind her, watching as her shuffling feet drew two parallel lines in the snow. She was young to be Kotaro's wife… at least his first wife. 

Their shoes left outside, she ushered him towards the middle of the house. He felt the heated floorboards through the thin socks he wore and if he had been in any other house, that may have relaxed him a bit. 

He walked into the receiving room and pulled out his sword, leaving it at his side as he took a seat. Another young girl appeared with tea and as soon as she had served it Kotaro made his appearance.

"Officer Fujita. It is an honor to have you back."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Saitou responded politely.

"When was the last time you were here…" Kotaro said thinking back.

"Last September," Saitou replied firmly. He didn't really have time for small talk.

"Ah, of course," Kotaro smiled. "I forget that you are one who likes things concise and to the point. All right, I wish to expand my mining activities further to the north but the Ainu will undoubtedly prove to be a problem. We will need to rely on your men for help."

Saitou paused and looked at Kotaro. "I am assuming the government in Tokyo has approved this already."

Kotaro's smile shifted slightly as he tipped his head from side to side. Saitou had guessed right. The Japanese government had not approved the venture yet otherwise Kotaro would have had army to help him.

"Then we have a problem," Saitou said evenly.

"Perhaps… or perhaps we can begin our expedition while awaiting government approval. It's not a question whether approval will come in. It's just a matter of when."

"And when that approval comes in, I will be happy to lend my men to your expedition," Saitou said evenly.

Kotaro blinked. "Of course… I understand. Compensating your men without government approval would be difficult."

"It is not about compensation."

"Weaponry then?"

"No."

Kotaro shifted. He had heard rumors of this man who ran Sapporo's police department and they had all just proven true. Incorruptible as they all said. He had hoped that his initial impressions during their first meetings were wrong but…

"Then I will let you know the moment I have received word from the government," Kotaro said.

Saitou nodded and finished his tea before standing up. He slipped his sword in his belt. "Thank you for the tea," he said.

The door behind him slid open and the young wife was there to escort him back. But not before Kotaro fired a parting shot.

"I heard you walked here by yourself. It would be best to be careful with the sun setting now. The Ainu are not fond of us and I heard they may have traveled down south to prove that point."

Saitou let a small smile form. A threat? How… amusing.

Saitou left the tiny wife between the two soldiers and walked down the stairs, following his footsteps in the snow back to town. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, letting the smoke obscure his vision only momentarily as he walked.

It took only a few minutes before the first twig snapped. He heard it to his left and kept walking, not changing his pace at all. After a few minutes, he came to a stop in a clearing and drew his sword. Enough games.

***

__

Okita's sword struck three times before the opponent could blink. Neck. Left shoulder. Right shoulder. The man was dead before he hit the ground. Okita smiled as he cleaned the blade on his shirt.

"Saitou-sama," Okita said. "Do you think we'll see him tonight?"

Saitou shrugged. Three weeks and the red-haired assassin had not shown up again. The rest of the Shinsengumi only whispered about him. How five of their members were dead by his sword. And how he had almost beaten Saitou the last time they fought. To Saitou it was a non-issue, a minor annoyance he would resolve the next time they crossed paths. 

"I want to see him myself," Okita said. "I want to fight him."

Saitou sighed and looked down at the street at the small river of blood flowing from the body at their feet. Okita never changed. Since the day they had walked out of the soba bar, the boy had only been energetic. It was hard to believe how high up in the Shinsengumi hierarchy he was. 

But there was something about this young boy that just made him a natural leader. And an excellent fighter. And, for whatever reason, the only one who could tag along with Saitou without permission.

"Saitou-sama?" Okita said interrupting his thoughts. 

"Hmm?" Saitou asked.

"Do you think this new assassin is as good as they say?"

"What does it matter," Saitou said, getting somewhat frustrated with the conversation, "how good he is. There's not a man alive that can stand long against us."

Okita smiled. "That's true. But it was almost… nice to hear that there was someone that could match us. Every man should have a nemesis, an exact opposite. Someone who pushes him to an extreme and forces him to get better."

Saitou shook his head. "You think too much about people."

Okita's smile faltered as he looked down at the body on the street. "Maybe…" he said softly. "But I suppose…" he trailed off. 

Okita shook his head, the last bits of sadness moving away from his face. "I suppose I do think too much, Saitou-sama. Besides, what's one assassin to us? And who needs a nemesis when there are friends like Saitou-sama to push you to be better."

Saitou paused. Friend? He looked down at the smiling boy and suddenly he was smiling himself. 

"Look Saitou-sama, it's started to snow…"

***

Four bodies lay in the snow, turning the purity to an ugly shade of maroon. Saitou slipped the blade in his sheath and frowned deeply. Looking at his arm, he saw the thing line of blood already forming. One of them had managed to land a blow. That should not have happened.

The rest of the walk to town was uneventful but Saitou's mind was running through the fight trying to find his mistake but only coming back to the memory of that assassination with Okita.

__

Every man should have a nemesis, an exact opposite. Someone who pushes him to an extreme and forces him to get better

And Saitou's nemesis was currently rotting away in Tokyo, the ex-hitokiri having given in to the thought of a quiet life of a wife and children. His nemesis was dead. And… so was his friend.

Maybe Okita had been right. Without something to push him, had his skills begun to diminish? Was it only a matter of time before he started rotting away himself, locked away in a house with Tokio and the children?

His hands clenched as he entered Sapporo. He was not going to follow the path of those before him. There was no question of that.

***

Soujirou looked into the steaming bowl of soba and frowned. He would have to relate his story to Saitou but… but what to do about Seisuke? To give him up as one of the member of the Genkai nada would mean execution if the secret society ever fell. And what would that do to Ichiro? And Koharu? With his wife having not risen from bed since being informed of her sister's death, what would happen to them?

There was movement at the door and Saitou walked in, motioning at the chef for the usual. He walked over to the table and sat down across for Soujirou, locking eyes with the younger man.

Soujirou blinked. "Your jacket…"

Saitou didn't move. "I tore it on a branch."

Soujirou paused for a moment before smiling. "Of course," he said, knowing very well that few things left a gash like that. As the chef placed the bowl of soba in front of Saitou, Soujirou's suspicions were confirmed. Saitou's arm twitched for a moment when he pulled apart the chopsticks and now… he was using the opposite hand to catch the noodles.

But Soujirou knew enough not to question and turned his attention back to his own bowl. A few minutes of silence passed between the two men.

"So what have you learned?" Saitou finally asked.

"Well, most you know already. They are operating out of the brothel and Toyama is recruiting men. I've seen two more come in since I arrived. There was a secret meeting today…"

Saitou's eyes perked up and Soujirou smiled. "I wasn't invited but I found a way around that," he said. And for a moment, Saitou almost smiled.

"Who was there?"

"A ministry representative but… I don't know who it was or what department they were from."

"Foreign ministry," Saitou said. "They arrived this morning."

Soujirou blinked. "That would make sense. They were telling him about sending operatives to China."

"China?"

"To investigate the Triads."

Saitou's face deepened into a frown. "The Triads are the Chinese equivalent of yakuza. If they are looking into them… considering an alliance…" He trailed off, his mind wrapping around the possibilities. 

"Who else was there?" Saitou asked.

Soujirou paused. "Toyama of course."

"And who else?"

Soujirou's hands picked up some noodles. "No one else," he said calmly.

Saitou finished what he was eating. "You're lying."

"No, I'm…"

"You said 'they' were telling the ministry representative."

Soujirou tapped the chopsticks against the bowl and tried to think of a way out of it. Saitou would never let it go now. He just had to think of a way to make Seisuke seem not as important…

"Don't even try," Saitou said quickly. "Whoever he is, there's no way to protect him."

Soujirou's hands stopped and he looked up, feeling the bits of anger starting to nip away at his façade.

But what he saw there was different from what he expected. Somewhere in those golden eyes was… understanding. As if Saitou had once been in the same situation. 

But as soon as he had seen it, it disappeared and Soujirou was left finishing his soba in silence, with contemplative Saitou sitting across from him. Five minutes later, Saitou left and Soujirou realized he had never pressed the issue of the third man's name. 


	4. Chapter 4 : Fodder to the Fire

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Author note: Sorry I didn't update in a while. Things were crazy with other stories and I got a bit stuck with this one. HOWEVER, the rest of the story is now completely outlined and all that remains is writing the chapters so it should be easier to update.

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Thawing

Chapter Four: Fodder to the fire

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The fire crackled in front of him and Soujirou let himself get lost in the flames. As the heat consumed the wood he almost wished he could feed his own thoughts to the fire. There should be no question about what his next move should be. There had been no questions until… until the day he was defeated.

In his old world, he would have offered Seisuke to Saitou without hesitation. The man had made a mistake, joined a group that was not supposed to exist and should be terminated immediately. But this was no longer about allowing the strongest to survive. That philosophy had been wrong.

But what should rule his decisions now? In his mind, it made sense that Seisuke would be arrested. But each time he almost came to that conclusion, all he could see were images of the gentle man playing with his children. This was not a killer, merely a farmer who let his profits be used for questionable things. The thought of him getting in trouble, of leaving behind those children to face the same harsh world Soujirou had been exposed to…

****

So you'll let your emotions make a decision for you now, logic chided him. **You've merely gone from one extreme to another. **

Soujirou wiped the voice from his mind and stared into the fire once more. So what if he allowed emotions to rule his decisions? Wasn't that what most people did? True, but most people had a better grasp on their emotions then he did. Each time he felt them stir inside of him, it made his head spin and he almost felt sick to his stomach.

He would wonder why it provoked such a strong physical reaction but he had answered that question early on in his journey. The emotions he felt, they had their opposites. So happiness over playing with Seisuke's children were countered with sorrow over his own childhood. Hope for their future was quickly countered with worry over their safety. It was like he couldn't experience one with the other. 

And somewhere deep in his mind, he knew there were worse emotions yet to feel. Like regret. Regret over his parents. Over the innocents he had killed. Over the friends, like Senkaku, who he had murdered mercilessly that fine day next to the river on command from Shishio. There were feeling that might not be countered by good ones.

Standing up, Soujirou padded wordlessly from the fire to the kitchen to get some food. As he passed by the candlelit rooms, he tried to overhear the conversations, desperately searching for something to give Saitou in their meeting. Ever since the foreign minister had come to the bordello, things had been quiet. And as their biweekly meeting approached, Soujirou found himself without anything to report except Seisuke's name.

"She's getting worse each day. The doctors aren't sure what to do."

"They were very close. It's not as if she shouldn't be upset. But to starve yourself… especially with three children to think of. It's atrocious."

Soujirou frowned. The little clues had already lead him to the know who there prostitutes were talking about. Hayami, Seisuke's wife, had been in deep mourning since learning her sister had died. But Soujirou never expected it have gotten this bad.

"And the poor dears… they stay by here all day and try to get her to eat. Her husband's heart is breaking you can see it in his eyes!"

"He needs to find some release…" There were a few giggles. "Well, I didn't mean that. But you have to admit, he does have a nice…"

Soujirou sighed and walked away, not wanting to hear the inane chatter of the women. There was nothing useful to learn from them tonight. He passed by the rest of the rooms and entered the kitchen, rifling through the cupboards until he found a piece of bread to munch on.

Sitting on the nearest table, he let his feet dangle off the ground as he ate his food. His mind was still thinking but he forced it to do other things, like count the squares on the ground or pick out which night bird was singing.

"Seta-san."

Soujirou blinked and looked up, surprised to see Seisuke's frame in the doorway. "Hai," Soujirou said, finishing off a mouthful of bread.

"I need to speak with you," Seisuke said, his eyes full of anger.

Soujirou let his feet touch the ground and he walked towards the other man cautiously. He didn't want to fight Seisuke but if the other man…

"It's about Keiko, my sister's wife."

***

"The prostitute's name was Keiko. She was working there for at least five years, after her parents died. Her sister was there as well but managed to get married only after a year."

Smoke filled the room. "And this is the same sister that we believe claimed the body."

"Yes sir."

"And have we found her?"

"Not exactly."

"Not exactly?"

"Well sir we believe that she is probably staying at the bordello she and her sister came from. It would make sense."

Saitou took in a long drag and nodded. "I'll take care of it from here then."

"Yes sir. There is one more thing…" Saitou looked over at the officer with a raised eyebrow. "Rumors in the town are that you're the one that killed the girl. That it was a love affair gone…"

The officer quickly trailed off and bowed deeply, letting the last bit go unsaid. There was no reason to continue. The harsh look Saitou had given him quickly assuaged the fear that his commander was the one responsible.

"That was unnecessary," Saitou's young assistant said. "As if to imply that you would…" The assistant trailed off realizing that Saitou was ignoring him and moved to the back of the room, retrieving the stack of papers and handing them to his boss.

Saitou leafed through and made some notes on a piece of a paper before handing it to the other man. "Have one officer follow each of these men and tell me what you learn."

"Hai, Fujita-sama."

***

Soujirou listened to Seisuke's story with a frown and then let the silence grow as he pondered the current turn of events.

"You don't believe me," Seisuke stated.

"It's not that," Soujirou said quickly, drawing up a smile as best he could. "I was merely confused that you were told that the killer was one man when they clearly knew it was another."

"It doesn't matter," Seisuke replied. "Maybe it was just a mistake, maybe it was a lie. All that matters now is that I know who is responsible for Keiko's death. And I'm going to make him pay. Now, can you help me or not?"

Soujirou looked up at the older man, suddenly flooded with images of him playing with his children. They were quickly replaced by the thought of the simple farmer sprawled on the snow, bleeding to death in the cold winter's night because no one would help him.

"I don't know if you can understand," Seisuke said suddenly. "My wife… she's dying slowly from the grief. I've tried everything I can think of but maybe… maybe this will help. Have you ever lost someone close to you?"

Soujirou blinked. He had lost his family, his friends but it had almost always been by his own hand. Shishio? Did that count? No, Soujirou had not lost him, it was the other way around. Soujirou had walked away from him.

"It makes all those happy moments," Seisuke continued, "suddenly become so bitter. Every laugh you once shared becomes another reason to cry. I see it in my wife's eyes, the agony of all those years of memories. Keiko should not have died… not like that."

Soujirou looked Seisuke and slowly nodded. The other man's face broke into relief. "By the light of the moon, then," he said. "I know where he'll be."

Seisuke quickly left and Soujirou looked down at the bread, his appetite fleeing from him as the gravity of the situation sank in. He tossed the remaining bread into the cupboard and walked back upstairs to his room.

Against the wall in the back lay his sword. Soujirou moved slowly to it, letting his hand wrap around the now familiar handle. With a soft click, he let it slide from the sheath, examining the blade in the red glow of the candle. It looked like it was suddenly covered in blood and Soujirou snapped his eyes shut, banishing the thought from his mind.

No, he could do this. He had chosen to walk a path of redemption but it didn't mean that it would be the same path others had walked. He held a true sword here but could he use it? 

He recognized the feeling in his stomach as his mind tried to come to a decision. He felt tingling in his fingers, a sign of excitement at the prospect of another fight but it was quickly being countered by a gnawing feeling of fear that he might get hurt. There was warmth in his cheeks as in mild anger he remembered Seisuke's words about his wife's condition mingled in with the desire to just stay away, to not get involved.

He let the emotions stir within him trying to understand each, justifying why one should be ignored and another should be pursued. The moon rose above the horizon, full as it cast down silver light to the street of Sapporo. 

Soujirou let the blade finally move again, locking it in place as he took it with him out the door.

***

"…so I say, let the damn whore rot in there. See if I come back!" The road erupted in laughter as the three men laughed at the joke. 

"Only you'd scare a woman so badly that she'd lock in an outhouse rather than face you, boss!"

That caused a bit more laughter though one of the men seemed less than pleased. "Just keep laughing when I stop paying you."

"Oi… come on, then. It was only a joke."

"Where to now boss?"

"Hey, how about that Hall of Celestial Delights? The woman there are the best in Sapporo and we haven't been there in two months!"

"No."

"Why not boss?"

"We're never going back there."

"What… some little girl lock herself in the oven instead of the outhouse?"

"SHUT UP!" The two men fell silent as their boss grew suddenly angry. "Never say the name of that accursed place again. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah… yeah, sure thing boss."

"No problem."

"Let's go home. I've lost my desire to stay out tonight."

The two men fell into silent step behind the taller figure, knowing that any joking now would probably result in their termination. 

There was a rustling in the tree and the two men stopped walking. With a quick glance, one grabbed their boss while the other grabbed his sword. He had barely made it halfway out of the sheath before his sword hand was suddenly severed from the wrist.

Crying out in pain, the first guard toppled backwards and the second tried to move his boss quickly out of the way. But a sword to the chest stop his run and the guard fell to the ground, leaving only the man he worked for standing.

"Why?" he demanded.

Seisuke came out of the shadows and looked at the man. "You are Mitsuda Daisuke, correct?"

The man's eyes stared at him, looking for some sign of familiarity. "Are you from the ruling party? Has my disagreement with them finally warranted an execution?"

Seisuke looked at him coldly, barely noting that Soujirou had stepped next to him. "Did you know a lady by the name of Keiko, she lived in the Hall of Celestial Delights."

Mitsuda suddenly laughed. "Of course, of course," he repeated beneath the laughter.

Seisuke snapped forward grabbing him on the collar. "Do you think this is funny!" He yelled.

The man nodded. "I knew that girl would be the death of me. Asking all those question after lading me up with sake. I knew there was more than innocent curiosity behind those words. I tried to silence her but it appears that my secrets have already fallen on enemy ears. I should have killed her the moment she asked her first question."

Seisuke threw the man to the ground and turned away, trying to let his anger cool before he tore the man to shreds with his bare hands.

Mitsuda looked up at Soujirou, a smile of fear and disbelief still on the doomed man's face. "Are you enjoying yourself? Playing with your prey before you kill him off?"

Soujirou blinked and studied the man. He pondered the question before the answer suddenly became very clear.

"No… no, I'm not."

Mitsuda was about to say something but a sword pierced his throat. The man blinked and looked up at Seisuke.

"She was my wife's sister," Seisuke said before he withdrew the sword and let the body fall to the ground.

Seisuke's breath was rapid, even as the final bit of light faded from Mitsuda's. And then suddenly he collapsed on to the ground, his sword clattering away as sobs overtook his body. Soujirou watched silently, wiping the last bit of blood from his own weapon before slipping it back into the sheath.

He knelt to the ground and looked at Seisuke's face, seeing that the rage had been replaced with something else. Grief and regret etched its way into the wrinkles there, quieting the seething fire of anger. Soujirou looked at him and the bodies on the ground, his own feeling starting to become apparent.

He had not enjoyed it. Not at all. 

***

"SIR!"

Saitou and his assistant watched as the door was flung open and an out of breath police officer stumbled inside. The assistant quickly moved to calm the other man down while Saitou watched him with impassive golden eyes.

"I was watching Mitsuda Daisuke as ordered." Saitou nodded, remembering the name as one of the men who had frequented the dead prostitute.

"Go on," Saitou prompted.

"He was just assassinated a few moments ago!"

The news made even Saitou blink in surprise. "Who did it?" he demanded.

The officer shook his head. "I didn't see their faces but one of them was very fast. The other one was yelling at Mitsuda and struck the final blow only… only it seemed he collapsed in agony shortly afterward and his friend had to drag him back to the brothel."

Saitou took out a cigarette and quickly lit it. His mind whirling through the evidence, slowly drawing the threads that would connect them. A dead prostitute. The farmer family that had claimed her. A man who killed but apparently didn't have the true spirit of a warrior. And finally a return to the brothel.

Letting out a cloud of smoke, Saitou reached down to his desk. "Apparently our case is closed. The man who murdered the prostitute is dead."

"But how…" his assistant started.

"The Hall of Celestial Delights was suspected to be the hiding place of the Genkai nada. The girl came from there. Obviously, she specialized in more things than advertised."

"What do you mean?" his assistant asked.

"Mitsuda Daisuke was a leading member of the minority political party in Hokkaido, a real thorn in the current government's side. Considering the recent collaborations of the Genkai nada and the foreign ministry, is it so hard to imagine that they are collecting information against the government's opponents? More than likely it's through their prostitutes."

As the assistant processed the information, Saitou's frown deepened. Looking up, the assistant became more confused. "The girl obviously got more information than she should have," the assistant concluded. "So he killed her, case closed, right? We know who killed the girl and we know were to look for his murderers."

"Perhaps," Saitou replied, drawing in a deep breath off his cigarette. "Or perhaps this will make our case even more complicated."

"How so?" 

"A wounded animal will fight twice as hard against an aggressor than if he had just been left alone."

As if to answer his parable, the street of Sapporo were suddenly filled with ringing bells.

***

Soujirou studied the cool bucket of water before taking it in both hands and dumping it over his head. As the cold water worked its way through his hair and down his back, Soujirou realized his face had been in a frown since the moment he had attacked the first guard.

He hadn't enjoyed it at all, but it had to be done. They were murderers, they were evil. They had caused Seisuke and his family so much pain. But somehow all the justification in the world was not helping assuage his guilt.

So this is remorse. I can feel glad that I helped put Seisuke's mind at ease, that I may have helped his wife recover but I can't feel that without guilt over taking someone else's life.

It was a dichotomy and one that he realized ruled everyone's life. It had been easier without emotion to kill. To have enjoyed the kill would have made him cruel and evil, just like the men he exterminated. But to wallow in grief like Seisuke was doing now, that made him weak and unworthy of the sword. He had been the perfect killer.

Which will it be, Soujirou? The sword is all you have ever known. Will you leave it behind and fade into the simple life of marriage and children? Letting your skills fade as you take up a hoe and work the land instead. What do you want? 

What do I want?

What _do _I want?

And he realized suddenly, that he had no idea how to think about that question let alone answer it. With no emotion, he had never had a desire to change. But all the walking he had done, all the things he had seen and finally let inside of him, were changing that. Did he want the family Seisuke had? The pang of jealousy he felt every time he watched them made it seem like he did. Did he want to continue on as a swordsman? Maybe not… he found himself not enjoying another's death at all.

The water dripped its way to the floor and disappeared between the small cracks there. Soujirou watched them for a moment before seeing something else beneath the floor. Kneeling down he put his face to the ground, trying to hear what was going on below. It sounded like someone was stomping on leaves but it smelt like…

Soujirou stood up quickly and left the room, his voice echoing loudly through the hallways.

"FIRE!"

Door flung open and the inhabitants of the brothel began to run, tumbling through the exits just as the flames licked at the upper floor of the building. Soujirou stumbled outside, looking around for Ichiro and Koharu. The moment he saw them, he ran to them, making sure they were all right.

"We're fine," Ichiro lied, trying to hide the scared tears. Koharu was clutching her baby sister to her chest.

"Where are your parents?" Soujirou demanded.

"Dad went back inside for mom," Ichiro said softly before the tears finally broke free. "He's going to be all right, isn't he? Right?"

Soujirou nodded and put a smile on. "Yes. I'm going to go get him now. Just stay here."

Leaving the surprised children behind him, Soujirou bounded back into the house, speeding through the hallways to find the room where he knew Ichiro's family lived. Ignoring the overwhelming heat and the overpowering smoke, he kicked open the door and stumbled inside.

Seisuke was there but he lay motionless next to the ground, next to his wife who was in a similar situation. Soujirou ran up and tried to wake the other man up but it was no use. Looking up, he could see the fire was slowly eating away at the ceiling. In a few moments this room would be devoured.

And then he suddenly realized. He could not take both of them outside. Dragging one person would be hard enough but… but two? 

__

"When winter is this fast approaching it most certainly is. Please, you can join the rest of my family in the back. It will save you time."

He had to choose. And he had to choose quickly.

__

"It's no trouble at all," Hayami called, suddenly appearing from the back of the cart. "There's more than enough room here."

BUT HOW? His mind screamed. 

****

Take one.

__

"Ichiro, if you do not stop pestering Seta-san, then you won't have dinner tonight."

Which one?

****

Either. Does it matter?

__

Seisuke caught Ichiro and spun him around once before hurtling down the stairs towards Koharu. The little girl squealed in delight and took off running.

YES! OF COURSE IT DOES! Whoever I leave behind will… will…

****

It wouldn't have mattered before.

But it does matter now.

It does, Soujirou realized. If he still didn't feel anything, it wouldn't have mattered. He wouldn't even be here in the first place. But now… now…

He quickly leaned forward and grabbed Seisuke's arm, pulling it around his shoulder as he made his way back through the halls. There was a cracking behind him and the ceiling collapsed, taking with it the last remains of the bedroom.

Soujirou struggled outside, his eyes overwhelmed with the smoke as he trudged through the fiery remains of the brothel. He saw the outside finally and fell to the ground, barely aware of the hands that pulled him and Seisuke away to safety.

__

"Have you ever lost someone close to you?"

Soujirou looked up, watching as the two children swarmed around their father. He watched them collapse on the ground next to him, crying and pulling at him to wake him up. Seisuke's eyes fluttered open and there was a moment of relief before they started asking about their mother.

__

"It makes all those happy moments suddenly become so bitter. Every laugh you once shared becomes another reason to cry."

Seisuke and the children began to look around before their eyes landed on Soujirou. The children eyes pleadingly asking him the question they didn't have the strength to form into words.

__

"I see it in my wife's eyes, the agony of all those years of memories."

So he turned away and began to cough into the ground. Though whether it was an attempt to expel the smoke from his lung or the emotions in his heart, not even he could tell.

***

Saitou quickly followed behind his police troops, motioning them to their stations quickly just as the fire brigade came barreling up the street.

"Keep those civilians away from the fire," his assistant screamed. "Make a path for the firemen."

With a frown, he watched the brothel go up in smoke. This was not a good turn of events. It was too quick for it to be coincidence. The fire was retaliation for Mitsuda's execution. 

Sapporo would be a dangerous place now, with two sides attempting to destroy the other first. The street would run with blood. He looked around, trying to pick out his only potential aide in all of this but Soujirou was nowhere to be found.

Cursing under his breath, Saitou began to move closer to see if he could see his informant there. Of all the luck, to lose the only place he knew the Genkai nada existed and his only link to their organization at the same time.

And then he saw him, coughing on the ground beside a distraught family. His hands were digging into the dirt as…

***

__

… the coughing racked at his body. A trembling hand came up to his lips and wiped the blood away but barely in time before another attack occurred. The snow around him was turning red with it, the pale whiteness transferring to his face. 

Saitou stood riveted in his place, heart still pounding from his fight with the guards. He had lost sight of Okita for just moments as he tried to finish off his opponents. Even with several of them fleeing to safety, Saitou felt he was successfully. 

A success he was all to ready to share with Okita. The entire night had been a success. Ishin Shishis were devastated by this attack. The Ikeda-ya inn was in flames, their main headquarters destroyed. And Saitou had just faced a dozen of their men and won without contest.

Okita would laugh, he would smile. He would tell him that he wished he could have been there to fight with him. Couldn't wait, Saitou-sama? he would say.

Okita should not have been on the ground like this, coughing up that much blood. 

Saitou finally snapped from his trance and moved forward to meet him but Kondou and Hijikata were suddenly there.

"Is he hit?" Kondou demanded as Hijikata looked over the boy.

"No… nothing I can see."

Kondou frowned deeply. "This is not good."

Hijikata looked up, suddenly seeing Saitou nearby. Motioning the third captain over, Hijitaka began to pick Okita up. "We'll need to get him to a doctor," he told Saitou as the man joined them.

"Of course," Saitou replied getting a good grip. He looked down at Okita's face, seeing the combination of pain and agony beneath the tiny coat of blood on his lips.

"He must have taken a hit to the ribs," Kondou said suddenly. "He's coughing up blood from that."

Saitou nodded, taking in the words. In some ways he felt it wasn't the truth, as if Kondou might be trying to hide something. But as another fit of coughing wracked the boy, Saitou let all thoughts of that disappear and followed Hijitaka towards the doctor.

***

The doctor looked at Soujirou, forcing him to drink something to quell the coughing. Soujirou nodded as the warm brew trickled down his throat.

Saitou watched, forcing himself to pull apart the past from the present but the image was there. He couldn't make it go away. And for the first time in as long as he could remember, Saitou quickly moved away from the scene of the crime, too disturbed to remain there.


	5. Chapter 5 : The Harshest Storm

****

Author's note: Hi again all! I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out but… sigh… writer's block hit and it wasn't pretty. But now it's done and I came to realize in writing it that there is only one more chapter left. So hopefully, it won't take that long to write. Thanks for all the reviews. I'm glad people are enjoying this story!

**__**

Chapter 5 : The Harshest Storm

The snow fell for three days after the fire but Soujirou never saw it. He sat in the middle of the temple, knees curled to his chest and tried to deal with the deluge of emotions that were fighting inside of him. The memories proceeded in an endless loop quickly moving from the start of the fire to the end outside. Every option played out, every chance he might have had to do something to save Hayami.

The smell still lingered in the air, a deep burnt aroma that assuaged his senses every time he dared to look up. If he had had the energy he would have left this temporary shelter and sought something deeper in the forest, away from everything.

He hadn't seen anyone from the Genkai nada since the fire but it didn't bother him. The thought of facing them, of meeting with the blank stares of pity and anger only made his isolation seem like the only choice.

Is this what he was suppose to learn? That all life had to give you was bear glimpses of joy and happiness before it stripped them away and left you wallowing in this sort of misery? 

Had he been lying when he told Soujirou that he needed to feel emotions? Was this some sort of cruel punishment for all the troubles Soujirou had caused with the Juppongatana?

His nails dug into his arms and his eyes suddenly opened as a sheen of wetness draped itself over them. He felt a clinching in his chest and he tried to push it away but it would not disappear. His mind had chosen the answer for him and there was no turning back.

In the darkness of the temple, with the snow slowly falling outside, Soujirou finally cried. It was not the cries of defeat or after beatings. But it was the realization that he could never change what had happened in the past. All the worry, all the jealous he had felt towards the small family fueled the grief, consuming him like the fire had Hayami.

He couldn't know how much time passed. His mind was lost to the haze of grief. But suddenly he felt something. Looking down at his feet, he saw the small girl curled at his feet, her small eyes pouring out her own tears. Next to him, Ichiro leaned against him, arms wrapped around the baby as his own tears fell.

Soujirou blinked back his own tears and watched the two little children. His brow furrowed as he tried to make a decision of what to do. Part of him wanted to run away, as if their mere presence only expounded on his problems. But another part looked at them and realized they were going through the same things as he was.

He was an adult, he should know how to deal with things like this. But his emotional coldness all those years had reduced him to a child in many ways. What could he tell them, though? Sorry, I don't know how to deal with this myself so you need to go.

They were clinging to them as if physical contact would somehow make things better. Cautiously he reached down and placed a hand on Koharu's head and wrapped his other arm around Ichiro's body.

"It'll be all right," his voice said softly, almost cracking as the words came out. "It'll be okay."

Meaningless! his mind screamed. What the hell was he saying? He couldn't possibly believe these words. 

But then he watched as the children's breathing slowed. He watched as sleep overtook them, a look of peace settling in on their faces.

How could seven words be enough to still them? Had they really believed him? Soujirou frowned, watching them in their sleep and had to wonder at it all. What caused them to believe him? Did they trust him that much?

No, he realized slowly. They didn't think things would be fixed right away. But somehow they believed that because he said so, he could make things right soon. Hope, they had hope. And looking down at them, Soujirou started to feel the same thing.

***

"It's a complete loss," his assistant said, glancing over the files. "The place was completely burned down, nothing remains."

Saitou took a long drag on his cigarette and closed his eyes in thought. "Is there any sign from either side what the next move will be?"

"No," the assistant said. "Nothing. Three days and everything is still quiet."

"They are negotiating," Saitou said with a frown. "Something is not right."

"But wouldn't agreeing on a peaceful resolution help us?"

Saitou nodded. "Perhaps. But it also means that Genkai nada have something much bigger planned. Something big enough that they would be willing to overlook this disgrace. And whatever it is, it might prove more dangerous then street battles."

"What should we do?"

Saitou looked out the window in silence. He didn't know. If he was right, then preventing the street war could make things much worse. But at the same time, could he afford to have Sapporo spiral into chaos on a hunch? 

"Let's review the chain of events," Saitou said, turning away from the window and putting his cigarette in an ashtray. "First the prostitute dies. We know that she worked at the Hall of Celestial Delights, a front for the Sapporo division of the Genkai nada."

"Right," his assistant said. "Someone claimed the body and sent it for burial. The murderer was unknown until… well until you believe he was killed in the street."

"It was Mitsuda Daisuke," Saitou said firmly. "I'm sure of it."

"So who killed him? The Genkai nada?"

Saitou picked up his cigarette and put it to his lips. "Of course, they were the only ones with a true motive at that moment. But the man who killed him… the report said he collapsed shortly afterward. I don't think he was a killer."

"What do you mean, sir?"

Saitou paused thinking back to the night that he had been stalked in the streets of Sapporo. The people who were waiting for him had backed off. That had been shortly after the rumors started that he had been the one to kill the girl. 

At first he had put it off to a failed attempt by Kotaro. That the merchant had realized that two men were not enough to take on the Wolf. So he had sent more of them that afternoon in the forest. It suddenly occurred to him that the two might not be related. 

"The woman, the sister of this prostitute Keiko," Saitou said taking in a deep drag. "She was mostly like the one to claim the body. The report said she's married."

"You think it was the husband that killed Mitsuda?"

"Perhaps."

"Then the Genkai nada had nothing to do with his death," the assistant said.

Saitou frowned. He very much doubted that. Still, it was starting to make sense. Suppose the Genkai nada had wanted to rid themselves of a political opponent. What if they had killed the whore and told her relatives it was Mitsuda's doing? Honor would force revenge, revenge would mean death and the Genkai nada would rid themselves of an opponent with no blood on their hands.

It was a perfect plan. And it was why the Genkai nada had not retaliated to the fire. They were telling Mitsuda's party that it was not their doing. That it was a rouge agent that had taken revenge on him for the death of his sister. Simple and clean. All that remained was to hand over the husband on a silver platter.

There was a knock at the door and the assistant jumped up to answer it. Saitou watched out of the corner of his eye as the officer gave his report. A witness to the murder of Mitsuda, he even recognized the killer.

Saitou smiled slightly. Simple and clean indeed.

***

Soujirou stirred the soup slowly, looking over his shoulder at the two children seated at the table. 

"It'll be ready in a few minutes," he said with a small smile. 

Ichiro shifted slightly at the weight of the baby and nodded. Koharu looked up at him with happy eyes.

He turned back to the soup and stirred. Seisuke should be the one to do this. But according to the kids, he hadn't been around for most of the day. It wasn't surprising, Soujirou guessed. But if he was going to put up a brave front for Ichiro and Koharu, then Seisuke should do the same.

There were footsteps in the main hall of the temple and Soujirou frowned. They were too light to be Seisuke's. Besides, there was a strong fighting spirit behind the wall. He pulled the soup away from the fire and poured some into the bowls of the children.

"Stay here," he said firmly. "No matter what."

The children looked at him strangely, but Soujirou was already out the door, watching as the tall figure came into focus.

"What are you doing here?" Soujirou said, not longer working to conceal the distaste in his voice.

Saitou raised an eyebrow at the overt sign of emotion. "I was simply coming to talk to you."

"We're through," Soujirou replied suddenly. "The Genkai nada's hideout was destroyed, I haven't seen them in days. Whatever you wanted me to do, it's a moot point now."

Saitou nodded. "I didn't come to talk about them. I came to talk about the heroics you pulled at the fire."

Soujirou resisted the urge to snort at the statement. Was Saitou being cruel or did he not know about Hayami?

"You saved the wrong one, you know," Saitou continued, watching to see if Soujirou's face changed. "The man, Seisuke, is a murderer. He murdered a politician on the street, Mitsuda Daisuke."

Soujirou blinked. He couldn't show the shock he was feeling or the fear. Anything that would make Saitou know he was right.

"What are you talking about?" Soujirou asked.

Saitou shook his head. "It was better before. But now that you have gotten yourself emotionally involved, you can even lie anymore." Saitou's feet shifted. "You were there too, I know that, but for now the witness will only confirm it was Seisuke."

"You're wrong," Soujirou broke in. "I killed Mitsuda."

Silence descended on the room. Soujirou watched Saitou, seeing if he believed the lie. There had been no witness to the crime, Soujirou was sure of that. If he could make Saitou believe it was him, then Seisuke would be free. Ichiro, Koharu and Toniko would have their father. Soujirou had already lost their mother, this was the least he could do.

****

You will be executed.

__

I know. But…

"It won't work," Saitou said. "Someone is very willing to offer Seisuke as a sacrifice. And all the evidence points to him. Your confession is worthless."

"Then why are you here?" Soujirou yelled. "To rub my nose in it?"

"No," Saitou said. "I'm here to offer you a chance."

"A chance to what?"

***

__

"A chance to bring him in yourself."

Okita looked at Hijitaka with horror in his face. "Why? How can you ask me that!" he screamed.

"Yamanami is your friend," Hijitaka replied.

"He's your friend too! We've known him since the beginning! Since before there even was a Shinsengumi! How can you asked me to bring him here, knowing what will happen?"

"He is a traitor and a deserter, there is only one course of action now."

Okita's shook his head and turned to Saitou. "Tell him… tell him he's wrong!"

Saitou looked between his friend and his superior. He was still new to this group, he didn't have the same connections as the other did.

"He won't," Hijitaka said. "Because he knows what I say is right." Okita's eyes locked on Saitou, his wordless look asking for something, anything that might change things.

No one said anything for several minutes. Okita's face was torn as he minded weighed between friendship and duty.

"Don't ask me this," Okita said softly.

"Okita," Hijitaka said. "Would you rather I sent out some nameless soldier to bring him in? Yamanami knows what is in store for him. He knew the day he committed his crime. The laws of the Shinsengumi are something we have all memorized. "

Okita blinked and looked up, searching Hijitaka's face for any sign of pity. He was one of their leaders, someone to look up to. But right now, Okita could barely face him.

Saitou watched the scene play out, knowing that the Vice Captain would not back down. Hijitaka was the one who had to do the dirty work. As he had told Saitou, there was always someone who would have to do it. No matter how distasteful it was.

Saitou also knew that Yamanami and Hijitaka had been close. And despite his coldness now, he knew Hijitaka was distraught over the prospect of letting a friend die. Hijitaka was a strong man, something Saitou would be one day. He would be the one to do the things that no one else wanted to, the things that had to be done, no matter what the cost and thus be stronger than them all.

"Okita," Hijitaka said.

Okita closed his eyes one more time and tried to think of another option. "There is no other way?"

Hijitaka shook his head. "Yamanami will be brought here. He has been ordered to commit seppuku. I will oversee it."

"I will bring him here," Okita said softly. "If it has to be, at least let someone he knows deliver the news." Okita turned away and headed towards the door.

"Okita," Hijitaka called out. The younger man stood, resting a hand at the door's frame. "You swear you will bring him back?"

Okita looked back, steeling his voice for the two words he was loathed to say, but that he knew he must. "I swear it, I will."

***

"I won't!" Soujirou yelled. "I won't do it!"

"The man's sentence is passed. There is no other course of action for him."

"Yes there is," Soujirou replied. "I'll get him away from here. Take him someplace you can't find him."

Saitou looked at Soujirou with surprise. Was this the same boy he had met three months ago? There were no attempts to hide his emotions anymore. He was looking at Saitou with pure rage. So the little boy had finally learned what he was sent out to do. He was learning to express his emotions. 

"You will not do that," Saitou said.

Soujirou's eyes narrowed and he glanced across the room to where his sword was lying against the wall. Saitou followed his eyes and frowned. He didn't want to fight this boy.

Why not? Why was he so afraid of Soujirou? The young man was no longer the great fighter he once was. Saitou would be able to read his attacks now that his emotions were out in the open.

__

Because he reminds you too much of Okita.

Saitou frowned, resting his hand on the hilt. No, it wasn't true, he reaffirmed to himself. But he hesitated long enough to allow Soujirou to dive for his sword.

Saitou quickly unsheathed his own, pushing away the tiny voice in his head that protested this move. His golden eyes steeled themselves as Soujirou's foot slowly started tapping on the floor.

__

This is not Okita! His mind screamed. _Stop looking for him in this boy! Okita is dead. Can't you realize that?_

Soujirou disappeared, the temple floor splitting as his feet moved with immense speed. Saitou let his senses open, searching for the first sign of Soujirou. 

Left! His mind screamed and Saitou quickly put up his sword, barely countering the blow that Soujirou threw. He stumbled backwards against the strength of the attack and let his sword slide across Soujirou's before attempting to counter with his own blow to the side.

But Soujirou was not there and Saitou's sword hit air. He turned quickly, feeling the attack on his right and barely managed to dodge the blow. He tumbled on the ground, gracefully turning as he stood up. He brought the tip of his sword to rest on his outstretched hand, watching as across the temple floor Soujirou tapped his feet and resheathed his sword.

__

Kill him, kill him now and be done with it.

But Saitou hesitated again, his mind overlaying the image of Okita on top of Soujirou like he had once down with Battousai. But he had not been fighting Battousai before, he had been fighting a tamer version of the man. A version that would make the decision to settle down and avoid fighting rather than embrace it.

Soujirou was attacking and Saitou couldn't get out of the way. The sword flew against his arm and torn open the jacket and skin. He prepared himself for a counterattack but it never came.

"What are you doing?" Soujirou asked, watching as Saitou turned to him.

"Fighting you." Saitou replied angrily, placing a gloved hand to his arm. The white fabric quickly turned red.

"No… you're not," Soujirou said simply.

Saitou scowled at him, moving quickly as he launched an attack. Soujirou jumped out of the way as he countered and almost landed another blow. Saitou refrained from cursing at his foolishness.

__

This is not OKITA! Okita is dead, Hijitaka is dead, even Battousai is dead. This is not the past. The past is dead.

Saitou held his sword in his hand. All the months that he had been seeing Okita in Soujirou were wrong. Okita was dead. He knew that. Why had it suddenly come up again?

__

"Hajime… do you have to leave again so soon?"

"It is necessary."

"But… you only just got back from…"

"There is nothing to be done about it. Someone must do this job."

"I had hoped there might be someone else to take your place. Someone who didn't have family…"

"We have been through this. My job is does not afford me much flexibility. You will stay here and be fine."

"Yes… I suppose I will."

He had left her and then ignored her the entire time he was here. Only half looked at the letters, ignored the hidden pleas that he come home. She understood that he had to do this. Someone had to do the things that no one wanted, he had told her that before. She understood but… she still couldn't help her sadness.

__

The shattered form of Sagara…

This was the only path to take and he was stronger then them all.

__

…the incessant crying of Kamiya…

His wife had understood that, they all would understand it.

__

…the gold taking over the violet of his eyes.

So why was he haunted by the ghost of Okina?

__

Okita is dead, Hijitaka is dead. This is not the past. The past is dead.

Why now?

__

Saitou's nemesis was currently rotting away in Tokyo, the ex-hitokiri having given in to the thought of a quiet life of a wife and children. His nemesis was dead. 

The past is dead. When the gold last faded from his opponent's eyes, so did the last traces of that life. And yet… he still clung to it, in this fashion.

__

Okita's shook his head and turned to Saitou. "Tell him… tell him he's wrong!"

Saitou's battle cry suddenly boomed across the empty temple, shaking the place at its core. Soujirou barely had a chance to blink as the wood was shredding to pieces in the wake of Saitou's attack.

Soujirou fell back, completely unprepared for it and landed on the ground. Instinctively, he closed his eyes, waiting for the final blow. His chest heaved quickly as he tried to steel himself for what would come next.

Outside the wind was howling, the snow on the ground spun into tiny twisters of white. The only sound beyond that was of the two men breathing.

Soujirou opened an eye and saw the end of the blade resting just below his neck. He followed it upward, to the face of his executioner. Saitou looked down at him, hands steady on the blade, preparing to strike the final blow.

And then suddenly, the blade moved, arcing in the air before landing in the wood floor several feet beyond the two.

"Take the children and leave," Saitou commanded, stepping back.

"What?" Soujirou asked, still unwilling to move.

"Nothing can be done for their father," he stated. "The sentence was passed, my men have him surrounded. The minute he tries to leave, they'll catch him."

"There has to be…"

"Take the children and LEAVE!" Saitou yelled.

Soujirou looked up, fighting to find the words to say next. He knew what Saitou was doing. If the children stayed here, they would be ostracized, branded children of a traitor and left on the streets to starve. 

Saitou could do nothing for their father but… he was going to give them a chance. He was going to give Soujirou a chance.

Soujirou stood up quickly, looking over at the kitchen door and not surprised to see two surprised faces peeking out. He walked over to them and pulled them back into the other room.

"Get all your things together," Soujirou said quickly. 

"But what about…" Ichiro started.

"Just do it now," he restated. "I'll explain on the way." Ichiro looked at him, ready to protest but he suddenly saw Koharu move. The little girl ran about collecting what she could. Ichiro waited a beat longer before handing Toniko to Soujirou.

Soujirou slowly edged towards the door and stole a glance outside. Snow was blowing inside the open temple door and the Wolf was gone.


	6. Chapter 6 : Spring Thaw

Chapter 6 : Spring Thaw

"Fujita-san!"

Saitou looked away from the window and towards his assistant with a frown. The younger man balked a bit before continuing.

"You wished to know when the final judgement was passed on the murderer."

Saitou turned back towards the window. It wasn't as if the verdict would be surprise. But even as the word guilty echoed in his office, he still harbored some hope that the judge might have seen what was really going on.

If the judge had known, he would have been paid off but Saitou wasn't about to award him that much intelligence to begin with. He had fallen for the trap, just as the opposition party had. An act of revenge and none except the Genkai nada believed it to be anything else.

"He'll be hung this afternoon," the assistant finished and Saitou dismissed him with a wave.

Left alone in silence, he reviewed the event of the morning. He had let Seta go, with the children of the convicted no less. Was he going soft? Or was he still clinging to the hope that Soujirou might somehow replace Okita?

It was neither. 

Those children were not evil and in the end neither was their father. Yes, he killed a man but that was no a true judge of goodness. If Seisuke were evil on the basis of killing one man, then what would Saitou be?

Outside the police station, the snow was starting the melt, the last storm apparently nature's final effort to claim dominion over Northern Japan. But the people here persevered and she would have to wait another year before she could try again.

Was that all there was to life? A fight against an opponent you could never win against? Just as Saitou fought against evil, the people in Hokkaido fought nature, struggling to live in a place where the climate was less than ideal for humans. And though both knew that ultimately they would succumb to their foes, they still fought. The people here would age and die and nature would be the ultimate victor. And Saitou… 

__

The shattered form of Sagara…the incessant crying of Kamiya…the gold taking over the violet of his eyes.

Would Saitou eventually succumb to the evil? So many expected that of him, many more assumed he already had. Oh yes, he was cruel, twisted and willing to do anything to assure that evil did not win. Just like Hijitaka had…

No, he was not evil. He just knew his opponent would never back down. Evil would think of ways of hurting people that even Saitou couldn't imagine. So Saitou would have to press the people around him just as hard, force them to face their demons and find the strength to fight it, work to destroy it just as he had.

But why fight at all? Shouldn't it have ended when the Shogun fell and the rebels won? Why continue, why push himself so much that he would find himself in this frozen hell? What was it in the end that drove him?

***

__

The hospital smell assuaged his senses like the slap to the face. His body cried out and tried to move his feet away from this place. It was dangerous, deadly and he should not be here. Run away, his body screamed! But his mind overpowered it and he strode down the walkway, past the rows of beds until he reached the balcony.

Okita was there, half of what he once was. The happy shine of his eyes lost forever. His hair matted down to his pale face. His hands lying limply on his lap. He heard the visitor and turned to face him, a forced smile on his lips.

"Saitou-sama," he said softly, the cough racking his body no sooner than the words had left his lips.

Saitou held up a hand to tell him not to speak. He turned and found a seat, pulling it close to the younger man's wheelchair. They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the sun slowly arc towards the horizon.

"… Okita-kun," Saitou finally said. The younger boy smiled again. "Why?"

Okita let out the faintest sigh. "It would have demoralized them."

"We were already fighting a battle when knew we would lose," Saitou snapped. "How would knowing you were sick have made any difference?" He stood up glaring at his friend.

Okita's smile faltered as he turned away. "You're angry."

Saitou took a deep breath in, biting back the retort. Angry? Angry didn't begin to cover it. To find out that after a year of hearing nothing from him, Okita was in this accursed hospital rotting away to a disease he had known he had for years…

"I am," Saitou finally settled on. "But not at you. At myself."

Okita looked up at him again. "Why?"

Saitou looked at the setting sun with a frown. "For all the time we lost. Instead of fighting, we could have…could have…"

"Gone out drinking?" Okita whispered. "Visited the geisha's, laughed at their stories? Lived next to each other, raised our sons together?"

The coughing started again and Saitou turned away when Okita's hand came down nearly black with the blood. A nurse came by and Saitou motioned for some tea.

"That was never to be our life, Saitou-sama," Okita said softly, his eyes staring emotionlessly at the horizon. "We had a different calling."

"To fight all those years so that we could end it like this, all dead and ruled by the opposition," Saitou replied bitterly.

"To fight for the shogun was only a method to further our cause, you know that," Okita said. "No matter who won that battle, our enemy still exists and we must continue to fight our war."

Saitou looked at him and watched as the boy struggled with breath. "Our war will never be over," he continued softly. "But we must fight. Because we can not allow evil to gain any ground."

Saitou watched the nurse return and took the cup and saucer away from her, bringing it to the railing and letting it rest there as Okita continued. Saitou found he could not look at him anymore so he merely stared out at the horizon.

"Hijitaka was right," Okita whispered. "He was the one who knew what had to be done. And you are just like him now. So I am not worried about evil gaining ground after I die. I know you will be there to stop it."

Saitou closed his eyes as if it would block off his hearing. He knew what Okita said was true. But… but how would he go on? The rest of the Shisengumi was dying off and Okita had been his one true friend among them. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tiny packet there, staring into the clear green tea by his hands.

"But promise me one thing." Saitou turned around and looked at him. Okita smiled. "Try to find that life you wanted. I might not be the one next to you… but try to find that life you dreamed we'd share."

Saitou nodded and brought the tea over to Okita. The boy's eyes flittered down to the murky green tea and he smiled.

"It would have been a painful way to go," he sighed. "Thank you… for doing what no one else could."

Saitou turned away and pulled the chair next to him as the boy drank the tea. The empty cup sat on his hands as Saitou looked at him from the seat.

Okita's eyes stared at the sun. The last embers of light slowly flicked into the thin line of the horizon. Okita smiled and took in a deep breath.

"Aku. Sou. Zan." 

Saitou waited until the last bit of light had faded from the sky. The stars began to slowly come out of the darkness and the candlelight inside the hospital filtered out of the windows. He turned to look at Okita, seeing the same cheery smile there but the emptiness of his eyes.

"Aku. Sou. Zan," Saitou said softly, reaching out with one hand and closing the boy's open eyes. "I promise… my comrade. My second. My friend."

***

There was a loud clanging and Saitou's reverie broke at the noise. He looked at the window, trying to discern what the danger was. Before he could find the source of danger, he realized that the clanging of the bell was not a signal of warning. A ship was pulling into harbor, flying the Japanese flag.

There was a knock at the door and Saitou allowed them entrance. His assistant relayed the same message the bell had and Saitou told him he would be there momentarily. As soon as the younger man left, Saitou returned his attention to the desk, down at the letter he had finished writing only moments ago.

He reread each word carefully, making sure it conveyed his wishes. Then he slowly folded it shut, held the wax to the candle and sealed it shut. Without another thought, he grabbed his coat and went outside.

***

Soujirou pulled the hat down over his face as he scanned the crowd. Looking behind him, he motioned for the children to stay still while he looked ahead. Ichiro nodded and pulled them into an alleyway. The moment they were gone, Soujirou took off.

His quick motions when unseen by the general populace, save for the occasional puff of snow that mysteriously lifted into the air before resettling again. Soujirou tore through the streets, not bothering to stop until he reached his destination.

The bakery's aroma hit him immediately as he came to a stop. He looked around, and sure that no one would know what was going on. As soon as the coast was clear, he looked into the window of the building and snatched up a few rolls. 

It wasn't much, but it would be enough to tide them over until they reached the farm. According to Ichiro, it was only a day's travel from here and there would be some grain from their last harvest.

It was insane in a way, Soujirou could admit that to himself. Here he was, nothing more than a penniless ronin and he was going to take care of three children. He frowned, looking towards the center of town, knowing that it was off limits to him now. If Saitou saw him, he was finished. 

This was the right path, he kept repeating to himself. No matter how insane it seemed. He wouldn't let those children suffer. Not like he had, abandoned and put to work like a slave. He'd figure something out when they got to the farm. Somehow.

He moved back towards his new charges and passed around the warm bread. The children quickly ate it up, barely breathing a word of thanks as they did.

"So dad said he'd meet us at the farm?" Ichiro asked.

Soujirou nodded, glad he hadn't taken a bite of his bread, knowing that he would have choked on it in surprise. Now he could just plaster his silly smile and reassure them with the lie. 

There was movement near them and Soujirou quickly ushered them into the shadows as they two men passed by. They stopped for a while as one fished around his pockets for a cigarette.

"So, how's Tokyo doing these days?" the smoker asked.

"Eh, it's been better."

"Huh?"

"The whole freaking government was falling apart for a while there. Good thing Choshu and Satsuma clans were there to clean it up."

"Really?"

"Yeah. The whole cabinet resigns and suddenly, there those two are with a whole new one ready to go."

"Well that's strange."

"Nah, not really. The government has always been screwed up and messed around with by outside people. At least this time we didn't go to war."

"You know a lot for a sailor, dontcha pal?"

The sailor laughed, talking a cigarette from the smoker. "I'll tell you what I don't know. Where's the _Hall of Celestial Delights_? I have to met some people there."

"Down the road. Hey, I'll go with you, got to visit a 'friend' there too."

As the two men walked off, Soujirou let his face fall into a frown. It did sound too convenient. He wouldn't be surprised if it was all tied in with the Genkai nada. It was probably a plot to…

"Ne… Ronin!"

Soujirou blinked and turned to see Ichiro pulling at his sleeve. "Nani?"

"We need to get going! It'll get dark before we get there if we don't leave soon."

Soujirou blinked and looked down at the three of them, hearing the laughter of the two men fading in the distance.

He should do something, tell Saitou that the Genkai nada were trying to…

He stopped himself, blinking back to reality. He could do that. But did he want to? He thought of what would happen. Saitou might overlook the fact that he returned, might let the children live but any chance they had at a normal life would be lost.

Three children weighted against the safety of all of Japan. How do you make a choice like that? It was obvious what the answer should be, wasn't it?

Soujirou stood up and brushed a bit of snow off his hakama pants.

"Are we going home now?" Ichiro asked.

Soujirou looked at him and smiled, a real smile. One mixed with happiness and a bit of relief. "Yes, let's go."

The small group bundled up and began to trudge towards the edge of town. As the last bit of Sapporo dipped below the horizon Soujirou let himself breathe again. Saitou had kept his word. And as the sun arced past the zenith, Soujirou also knew that Seisuke's punishment would be carried out soon.

"Ne, Ronin…"

"Soujirou," he corrected quickly.

Ichiro frowned. "Sou-chan," he settled on. "Papa will be okay, won't he?"

Soujirou forced the smile to stay in place. "Hai," he lied.

"You'll wait with us, right?"

Soujirou stopped walking and looked at them. "I'll wait with you, until he comes back."

Ichiro nodded and started walking again, followed closely by his sister carrying the baby. Soujirou watched as they moved ahead, reaffirming his decision.

I will wait with you, even if you don't know that it's forever now. This is what I can do in the end. I'll never be like Shishio and try to rule the world. But I'll never be like Saitou either, always trying to protect it. I don't know what I will do in the end but protecting these three, giving them a home, that enough for now.

"SOU-CHAN! HURRY UP!"

And without another thought, he bounded ahead, taking them by the hand and leading them down the road.

***

__

Hajime,

I trust this letter finds you in good spirits. If the captain of this ship was correct, it will reach you just as the spring thaw begins. The doctors say it will be a matter of time now so maybe when things have settled, we can come see you during the summer as I know your job will prevent you from returning to Tokyo.

The boys send their best and we look forward to your next letter.

Tokio.

***

Saitou fold the letter and tucked it in his pocket. He opened the second letter and read it, ignoring the man in front of him. As soon as he was done, he refolded the letter.

"I trust this will not be a problem."

Saitou's golden eyes locked on the other man. He pulled out the sealed letter and handed it to him. The man's brow furrowed as he opened it and read it out loud. 

"I guess not," the man replied. 

"I felt my job here was done," Saitou said. "I was planning to send the transfer request on the next ship."

"And here your replacement has arrived before that," the man smiled. "Though I must say I envy you. Tokyo in the spring is the only place I'd like to be. But Sapporo will have to do."

Saitou nodded, ignoring the small talk. "I'll need the day to set things right."

"This ship won't leave until tomorrow."

"Then if you'll excuse me," Saitou said, motioning towards the door.

"Of course. I have an appointment with Kotaro-san, wants to talk about mining rights or some equally boring topic."

Saitou blinked and looked up at the man. So Kotaro wasted no time. Suddenly, he doubted that the police back in Tokyo had anything to do with pushing through a transfer. 

The man took Saitou's silent response as an end to the conversation and walked towards the door. It opened and Saitou's assistant walked in.

"Is it true?" the assistant asked.

"Yes," Saitou replied.

The assistant frowned a bit, not knowing what to say. He nodded and was about to leave when Saitou's voice suddenly brought him back.

"Takana-san."

The assistant balked and stared at Saitou.

"What?" Saitou demanded.

"Nothing, sir. It's just… that's the first time you've used my name. I thought you forgot what… I'm sorry, sir. What were you saying?"

"I think that Sapporo is not the best place to further your career," Saitou replied. "You will return to Tokyo with me."

Takana looked at him with puzzlement. He wanted to say something, thank Saitou for finally recognizing his worth. But the words died on his lips. Instead, Takana settled for a nod before walking out the door.

***

Dawn broke and a fog settled over the area. The temperature overnight had remained high enough so that the snow began to melt. Shoes hit the once firm dirt only to find themselves sinking in a mixtures of slush and mud. 

A group of sailors stood next to the port, ordering the dockworkers to load the vessel. The sails of the grand ship fluttered down from the mast and caught the gentle morning breeze. 

The two policemen walked down the dock, heading towards the ship. One smoked on a cigarette, the other stood close by, throwing a glance over his shoulder to make sure that their bags were following close behind.

"Ah," Takana said suddenly. "It looks like they'll start digging the canal again."

Saitou paused and looked over at the half-dug ditch, where all this had started. Indeed a couple of foremen were already walking around to test the ground. He nodded and reached into his pocket.

"Cigarette?" he asked, holding open the case.

Takana looked at it. "I've never had one before."

Saitou raised an eyebrow. Takana paused a second more before taking one and lighting it. He took in a drag and started to cough. Saitou's lips almost turned up into a smile. 

He walked up the gangplank, leaving Takana to struggle behind him, muttering apologies. By the time they had settled on board, it looked like the boy was actually getting the hang of it.

The two officers leaned on the railing as the dockworkers removed the lines and the ship began to move away. Saitou took in a long drag of his cigarette before flicking it off and letting it sink into the ocean. He turned his back and headed down below as Sapporo faded into the horizon.

***

****

Author's notes:

Well that's it! May seem like an abrupt ending but in that time, the Japanese government actually supported secret societies. All this is based on actual historical fact, even that last second upheaval of the government. If you're interested in seeing exactly what this was all based on, you can check out these great links!:

Great source for info on Okita : http://zainin.com/Okita/

Japanese Secret Societies : http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/leiber/50/bds1.htm

Shinsengumi information : http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/leiber/50/bds1.htm

Thanks again for all the great reviews! I'm glad people enjoyed reading this story.


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